'Wouldn't want to be dishonest': Controlling micromanager tells employee he can't put 10 minutes overtime on his timesheet, gets hit with malicious compliance

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
May 16, 2024 1:00 PM EDT

There are few places where we are more aware of the clock than in the workplace. It's a strange limbo where two minutes can feel like an hour, and almost anyone who has ever had a job is guilty of waiting clockwatching until their shift comes to a merciful end.

It's not all about getting out of there as quickly as possible, though. In many roles, your employer also needs to know exactly how long you worked so they can pay you the proper amount. This has been the source of many a dispute in the workplace, as it was for one Redditor's husband in a previous role. In this job, it was standard to log your hours at 15-minute intervals—but colleagues who worked later than him kept asking him ten minute questions at the end of his shift.

His manager took offence at him recording this on his timesheet and told him to stick to the rules. It wasn't long before this admonishment came back to bite him, to the delight of those on r/MaliciousCompliance.

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  • 01
    "Is it a fifteen minute problem?" A
    via Scott Graham
  • 02
    r/ r/MaliciousCompliance u/Loose_Alternative990 • 4d If you have a problem, it better be a fifteen minute problem! S
    via Loose_Alternative990
  • 03
    Cheezburger Image 9922254080
    via Loose_Alternative990
  • 04
    In a previous job, he worked 8-4 in an office. Many of his colleagues worked 9-5, so they were still working when he was leaving. When he was about to leave, he'd usually be asked a technical question or asked to quickly glance over something by another member of staff. This was rarely quick and usually had him standing around for a further ten minutes which, on a regular basis, starts to add up.
    via Loose_Alternative990
  • 05
    One day, his manager was going over the monthly time sheets and asked my husband why he'd added 10 minutes on five days across past month. Bear in mind, flexi-time was allowed. My husband explained the situation, referring to the specific problems he was asked to deal with on each of those five days.
    via Loose_Alternative990
  • 06
    The manager told him that the company only works in fifteen minute segments so he can't put down 10 minutes, it would have to be 15 minutes. "However, we can't round it up because that's dishonest," he said. "So just bear it in mind for next time." This was in front of the rest of the office.
    via Loose_Alternative990
  • 07
    That very same week, my husband signs out of his computer at 4pm. Just before he leaves, the manager asks him to explain some of the particulars in an email he'd received from a contractor. My husband asks, "how long will it take?" The manager replies, "just five minutes." My husband then says, "unless it's a fifteen minute problem, I'll have to look at it tomorrow. Is it a fifteen minute problem?"
    via Loose_Alternative990
  • 08
    His manager turns red and awkwardly says it's not. My husband respectfully states that he will put it at the top of his to-do list the following morning and leaves.
    via Loose_Alternative990
  • 09
    One of his colleagues texted him just after 5 and said there was an awkward silence after he'd left and when the manager eventually got up and left to do something, they all burst out laughing.
    via Loose_Alternative990
  • 10
    feyrath 4d Wouldn't want to be dishonest
    via feyrath
  • 11
    lynxSnowCat 4d I've had many managers tell me to just round up to the nearest half-hour increment so that accounting wouldn't get out of their rythym calculating payroll - (down to the minute).
    via lynxSnowCat
  • 12
    fizzlefist 4d "sorry, policy is policy."
    via fizzlefist
  • 13
    Loose_Alternative990 OP •4d Exactly. He was prepared to quote the policy if his manager challenged him the next day but he didn't. Wise.
    via Loose_Alternative990
  • 14
    tippy25 4d Time sheet rounding policies are only legal if it goes both ways. If an employer is only ever rounding down, that is wage theft and they need to be taken to court.
    via tippy25
  • 15
    Immediate-Season-293 4d I worked for a company that did work contracted by the state of Nevada. We were told by the state to bill everything in 15 minutes increments, and that our timecards had to match. So much simpler. I just told everyone that worked for us that if it takes 5 minutes, put 15 minutes on it, and on your timecard.
    via Immediate-Season-293
  • 16
    Katherineew 3d I had someone in my office who would come to me right before I was about to leave and asked really complex questions that would usually have me staying an extra half an hour each day. Usually I didn't mind, because I would claim the credit time, but sometimes I had plans and didn't feel like staying around. There was an empty office across from mine and somehow I had been given a master key when I'd started, so I could open any door in the office. I never abused the privilege of t
    via Katherineew
  • 17
    Least_Adhesiveness_5 4d That manager got away with wage theft.
    via Least_Adhesiveness_5
  • 18
    judolphin 3d Whenever I mentor somebody, talk to my spouse about billing time, etc, I always say to round to the nearest quarter hour or half hour and make that quarter/half-hour choice your minimum, as in anything more than zero is at least 15/30 minutes billed (if you're being honest, statistically it'll balance out over time). And if somebody takes your time off-hours, charge a minimum of an hour for it. In fact when I was an independent contractor, I put it in my service agreements that if I
    via judolphin
  • 19
    doonwizzle 3d it's interesting how strict adherence to workplace rules can lead to unexpected moments like this. reminds me a bit of those old sitcom scenes where a simple misunderstanding causes a whole episode of chaos. your husband's situation sounds like it ended with a good laugh, much needed in any office environment.
    via doonwizzle
  • 20
    Fyrrys 3d That was definitely the manager trying to force him to do unpaid work, good job from your husband Edit: husband, not dad
    via Fyrrys
  • 21
    chehalem_frog 3d It is ok for the business to ask up to 14 minutes, 59 seconds of unpaid work from the employee. That is perfectly normal and good business. But the employee can't round up their time because THAT would be dishonest.
    via chehalem_frog

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job work workplace time malicious compliance timesheet reddit story petty revenge reddit thread Reddit
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